Need questions answered

[rkennedy]

Hey all i have a 125 gallon set up that ive had running for about 7 yrs now, a couple of weeks ago i started to have some fish die off, i had 7 green chromis a naso and orange shoulder and 3 clowns, also have a long spine urchin,green bubble tip and a "sticky gigantica" anemone. I tested my water and do bi-weekly water changes,my tests are with an api kit that you fill the small beakers with an match the card color. ph is at 8.3,salinity is 1.025,nitrite is 0, ammonia is 0, and nitrates are at .25. I run a skimmer 2 powerheads and 2 canister filters. All have died except my clowns and anemones and my urchin,also got a whole bunch of mushrooms.Yesterday bought 1 new fish and acclimated him for 2 hrs,put him in my tank and this morning he is dead. Went to the only reef store i trust and there closed today,was going to compare my tests with theirs. Any body ever have this problem or hear of one like it??? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[bang guy]

Can you list the Temperature, Calcium, Magnesium, and Alkalinity as well?
Are you using tap water or purified RO water?
How often to you do water changes.
How often to you use GAC?

 

[rkennedy]

Thank you for responding, Temp is at 79 degree,s. I run chemi-pure elite in 1 of my filters, 2 cans of it. I dont test for alk,calcium or mag. I do bi-weekly water changes,30 gallons a time and i use premix water from my reef store.

 

[bang guy]

You may never find the cause of this but my instincts are telling me it's a water contamination issue. Very high Magnesium or very high Alkalinity can cause the symptoms you are seeing but I'm thinking it's something coming from the water changes or topoff water. Perhaps an excess of zinc or tin or some other metal harmless to humans but not saltwater animals.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by RKENNEDY http:///t/395866/need-questions-answered#post_3525523
Thank you for responding, Temp is at 79 degree,s. I run chemi-pure elite in 1 of my filters, 2 cans of it. I dont test for alk,calcium or mag. I do bi-weekly water changes,30 gallons a time and i use premix water from my reef store.
The urchin and anemone are fine? They are pretty sensitive, if it were a water problem I would think they would be the first to go. Clown fish are a bit hardier then the other fish. New fish are a crap shoot, so it's dying may not even be related. Did all the fish look okay, no aggression marks, or red blotches to indicate bacterial infection?
Maybe you should also list your equipment, power heads and such. That way we have everything out there, and then we can brain storm to maybe figure out the mystery. Pictures might help as well.

 

[rkennedy]

Yes sir, thats what i cannot figure out, i can tell when there is a water quality issue cause mu urchin looses his spines,only thing i did notice on my orange shoulder tang was that he was breathing rapidly. I thought maybe from a lack of oxygen??? I have 2 Aqua clear powerheads that move 400 gallons per hour, a turboflotor 1000 skimmer 2 300 watt heaters, 2 cascade 1500 canister filters. Could the sticky anemone be releasing a toxin?? He seems normal and all, coloring size and appetite. I just dont get it, all my snails and crabs and starfish are good.

 

[flower]

Quite a mystery...I'm at a total loss, I can't even think of anymore questions to ask. You could run carbon, that should take care of any toxins.

 

[rkennedy]

I run 2 cans of chemi pure elite all the time. I change all my filter media every 6 weeks and my carbon every other time. I still need to have someone else run my water test just for a comparism and then go from there, i can post a pic of my tank but dont know if it would help, thanx for your input and time.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by RKENNEDY http:///t/395866/need-questions-answered#post_3525582
I run 2 cans of chemi pure elite all the time. I change all my filter media every 6 weeks and my carbon every other time. I still need to have someone else run my water test just for a comparism and then go from there, i can post a pic of my tank but dont know if it would help, thanx for your input and time.
You shouldn't change all of your media at one time. You lose the good bacteria colonies, and then the ammonia can spike. I don't think that's what happened to your fish, but just for your future information. What test kits are you using, and which ones do you test for? I know you said you haven't done an alkalinity or calcium test. calcium and alkalinity are pretty important to keep up with. Do you run a skimmer?

 

[rkennedy]

I run a skimmer and i have to empty it at least 3 times aweek. I use api test kit and i have a refractometer for salinity. I test ph,amm,nitrite and nitrates. If i do not change my media all the time i get hi readings on my nitrates. I use a gravel vacum on my substrate and i go ober other spots every month as not to disturb my bacteria. I know canister filters and crushed coral are factories for nitrates and im workin on a sump as we speak, pump i want is Expensive and i want to put oolite sub in eventually.

 

[rkennedy]

 

[rkennedy]

A pic of my tank let me know if you need to see something specific

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by RKENNEDY http:///t/395866/need-questions-answered#post_3525606
A pic of my tank let me know if you need to see something specific
The top of your water looks too still and quiet, is that an illusion (pictures lie) am I correct on that?. if the surface is indeed still, it may mean you need more oxygen in the tank...Point one of your power heads toward the surface, make it look like it's boiling. Gas exchange is very important to a SW tank, because it has less oxygen in it. How long were the other fish in the tank before you noticed a problem with the orange shoulder breathing hard?
Often ammonia causes a problem, but not enough oxygen will also make the fish behave the same way. I say that because the clowns are right at the surface like they are oxygen starved, it could just be an illusion created from the angle of the picture...but we are trying to find a cause for your loss of fish so that means we can't leave any stones unturned.